Believe Me
by heidlebergchick
Summary: Harry and Ron try to reason with Hermione when Dobby tells Harry the elves stopped cleaning Gryffindor Tower because of her SPEW campaign. When Hermione refuses, the boys are lost until another brave Gryffindor steps up to the house elves defence. Warnings inside doc. Nothing more than mild mentions. AU. No pairings. The House Cup Competition


**House:** Hufflepuff  
**Year:** First Year  
**Category:** Standard  
**Prompt:** [Speech] - "Keep talking. I'm starting to believe you."  
**Word Count:** 1986  
**Title:** Believe Me  
**Rating:** K  
**Beta(s):** Aya, Gwen, Verity  
**Warnings:** AU. Added a non-canon rule about the house-elves way of life, i know its made up, please forgive me and i hope ye like it. _stockholm syndrome mentioned and definition explained. _Again Neville may appear to be OoC, he does have his moments of bravery, where he has to stand up for what he believes in. When he hears the argument, he is unable to just sit and listen. He is also more confident here due to being backed up by Harry and Ron.

Please Enjoy!

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**Believe Me **

"Harry, this _has_ to stop!" said Ron with a dark look from the centre of the common room. Harry was too busy casting his own troubled gaze to do more than nod at his friend. The focus of their intense gaze was their other best friend, Hermione Granger. She was known for taking over at least one large table at a time to study and considering it was their OWL year. Imagine the surprise of their year mates when they found her knitting instead of studying.

"Come on," said Ron, making his way towards their bushy-haired friend. With Harry at his heels, they approached the girl who was busy knitting a blue hat the Muggle way.

"Hermione, can we talk?" began Harry, tentatively. When Hermione looked up, her face showed her clear annoyance at being disturbed.

"I'm a little busy. Can it wait?" Harry frowned at her dismissive statement and Ron bristled immediately.

"No it _can't_ wait! You have to _stop_ knitting! This has gone on long enough, Hermione." Ron gestured animatedly at the girl's knitting needles and even more pointedly at the thick, woollen hats.

"_This is for the house elves! _You know? The _slaves _working day and night in this elfish prison?" Her hot reply only got to Ron more as he grabbed a blue hat in defiance.

"They're _not _slaves! They _like it!_"

Hermione jumped up out of her comfortable chair, incensed beyond belief at Ron's words. They didn't pay any heed to the attention they were getting from their year-mates who were now avidly paying attention to their argument.

"They _are_ slaves! This whole place is built on their labour! They cook and clean and they don't receive any payment or any other kind of benefits! That's _despicable!_" Satisfied that she had 'won' her argument, she sat back down and resumed her knitting, causing Ron to grab at his hair and groan.

"Hermione... I'm sorry, but I think Ron is right." Harry's words were quiet, but firm. He knew Hermione wouldn't exactly be happy he was questioning her, but he felt he still had to try.

Hermione shot Harry an instant look of disbelief before her eyes narrowed dangerously.

"How _dare you _stand there and have the _gall _to tell me you condone _slavery! _You of all people, Harry? I expected better. " Her distinct tone of disapproval had no effect on Harry.

"Hermione, the house elves won't clean Gryffindor Tower anymore! I spoke to Dobby and he told me he has to do all the work himself because the other elves saw your hats hidden among all the rubbish and parchment. He said they find it insulting." His quiet tone didn't lessen the seriousness he was trying to convey. Hermione briefly took pause as she realised that she had unknowingly burdened Dobby with a larger workload despite his free status.

"They're boycotting our tower because of my hats? But I'm trying to give them freedom. They shouldn't be insulted; they should be rejoicing!" Her baffled expression allowed Ron to jump back into the conversation.

"They don't _want _freedom! _They like to work!_" Ron hoped they had finally gotten through to their friend but she shook her head, seemingly finished pondering the odd piece of news. Almost triumphantly, she smiled at Ron.

"Then how do you explain Dobby?" Her sarcasm was thick and patronising. "He's free _and_ he's happy. Why can't the rest of them have the same? I think he is an example of what they should be striving to aspire to."

Ron closed his eyes in defeat and Harry continued to try reasoning with Hermione.

"I don't know how to explain Dobby. He's a little different perhaps. But I don't think the house elves want to follow Dobby's example. For the other elves, even the _idea_ of freedom is repulsive. Look at Winky! _She's_ not taking to freedom the same way. She's depressed and drinking too much Butterbeer. And by the looks of the other elves in the kitchen, they would act the same way as her if they were faced with freedom. _That's why _they're boycotting our tower!"

The other students faces seemed thoughtful at Harry's words as they were fully absorbed by the conversation taking place. They watched Hermione process what Harry had said with bated breath.

"That doesn't make any sense! You don't know what the other elves want? You have no idea if they would react the same way as Winky? Mr Crouch was horrible to her! I know the other elves seem happy, but they don't know any better! Generations of enslavement has led to this attitude. It's nothing more than _Stockholm Syndrome_. We should be changing that attitude!"

The room was instantly filled with confusion at her obvious Muggle phrase. Whispering broke out as the Muggle-borns explained the phrase to those who didn't understand that it was a condition describing a warped relationship between captor and captive, where the captive had positively bonded with their captor.

"What? By knitting hats and setting them free? I'm telling you that won't work!" Ron retorted.

"Keep talking. I'm starting to believe you." Hermione snapped back arrogantly. "I will not do _nothing! _I will not allow things to continue on as normal and close my eyes to the cruelty and injustice that is slavery," Gesturing at Ron with a smug look on her face, she continued to drip sarcasm. Turning back to Ron, she asked, "You're full of useful insight today. So tell me? _Why _won't it work?"

"Because you are _not_ the house elves _mistress_!"

Hermione spun around to see who had spoken and was shocked to see Neville Longbottom breathing heavily with a furious expression on his face. She was surprised by Neville's anger and Ron and Harry raised their eyebrows.

"Mistress? Of course I'm not a mistress! That would mean I own _slaves_!" Hermione's disgust only served to spur Neville on.

"Hermione, you were quick to point out that Harry didn't know what the house elves wanted, but neither do you! Have you ever sat down to actually ask a house elf what they wanted before you began this campaign? Judging by the fact that you didn't know only a master could free an elf, I don't think you have. And yet you have the arrogance to stand there and dictate how they should live their lives?"

Ron and Harry immediately cringed. Hermione's face quickly matched Neville's angry expression. Neville didn't cower, but returned it in full. While Neville was normally docile, he had his moments of bravery where he stood up for his beliefs.

"No one should willingly live as a slave and bow to the whims of others. Nothing will stop me from fighting for their rights to live free and receive fair wages and wield a wand and even be a part of government. Nothing you can say will change my mind!"

Neville breathed slowly as he tried to calm himself down. She really wasn't listening so he thought it was high time she got a sharp dose of reality. He beckoned Harry.

"Harry, you mentioned a free elf by the name of Dobby? Can you call him?" Harry looked a little bewildered not knowing if it would be possible, but he nodded anyway.

"Dobby?" he asked. The oppressive silence was shattered by a loud pop as the elf in question appeared. He was wearing a funny assortment of a tea cosy, two odd socks, and a pair of children's soccer shorts. He also wore a horseshoe print tie on his bare chest.

"Master Harry Potter calls Dobby, sir?" the little elf's ears were wiggling with excitement. Harry nodded and greeted him. Neville knelt down to Dobby's level.

"Dobby? Harry told me you were freed by your last master. Have you been okay since?" Dobby smiled a little but it was marred by embarrassment as the little elf looked down at his feet.

"I is doing okay, Mister Neville. It has been difficult for Dobby to find work, but Headmaster Dumbledore allows me to stay here at Hogwarts and near Master Harry Potter." Neville zoomed in on the key word.

"You call Harry master, Dobby?" He said softly. Dobby glanced sheepishly at Harry who furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.

"Yes, Mister Neville. It is Dobby's hope that one day, Dobby may serve Master Harry as his elf, sir," said the elf shyly.

"Why haven't you asked Harry this before now?" Dobby looked back at Neville and Hermione stared on with impatience.

"Master Harry has not reached his age of majority, so Dobby must be waiting, sir."

Neville nodded as if confirming something. "Dobby? Did you partially bond with Harry?"

The entire common room broke out into furious murmurs. Hermione became furious and pointed a finger at Harry.

"You enslaved a house elf? _How could you_?" Her shrill tone caused Harry to wince and Dobby began grabbing his ears. Neville began soothing the cowering elf.

"You _had to_, didn't you, Dobby?" When the elf began nodding at Neville, the boy continued. "Because if you hadn't, you would have died already, isn't that right?"

Once again the room erupted with shocked whispering. Hermione looked beyond appalled.

"_What?_"

Ron and Harry immediately went to comfort Dobby who was nodding furiously as tears began to roll down his wrinkly face. Looking up at Harry, the elf spoke quickly.

"I's doing it to stay alive, Master Harry, sir. But Dobby is understanding sir if Master Harry Potter doesn't want Dobby as his elf."

Harry smiled at Dobby.

"I would be honoured to have you as my elf Dobby, when the time comes." Dobby gasped and bear-hugged Harry. Harry could only pat the sobbing elf on the shoulder. Neville returned his sharp gaze to Hermione who stood in silence at what she was seeing.

"Hermione. I think you're intentions are good. Wanting to promote welfare and conditions for house elves is an admirable thing, but imposing your will upon them with little to no understanding of their race is a clear sign of your youthful ignorance. Your mistake is treating them like they are human." Hermione's face dropped and she was just about to interrupt again before Neville held up a hand to stop her.

"An elf must be bonded to a witch or wizard to survive in the same way ivy clings to tree trunks to reach the sunlight. Without this access to magic, an elf would die slowly and painfully. Winky has began to reach this point. If she doesn't bond to a new witch or wizard, she will die. In return for this life sustaining magical infusion, elves serve wizards for life. It is a symbiotic relationship where both parties are very pleased with this arrangement."

Hermione looked shocked, Harry looked thoughtful, and Ron nodded. Hermione's lip wobbled and she sank into a chair, burying her face in her hands she moaned.

"I didn't know, I was just trying to help..."

Neville threw a hat in the fire and tapped one of Hermione's books. "_This _is how you help them, Hermione. Study and pass your OWLs and then your NEWTs. Get a job at the ministry and work to make the life of all magical beings and creatures better then. Agreed?"

Hermione sniffed and smiled a watery smile at Neville. Hermione smiled. "I'm sorry for not believing you earlier, but I think I'm ready to now," she said sincerely. She turned and looked at Dobby and wiped her eyes.

"Dobby? Can you remove the hats from Gryffindor Tower and tell the other elves I'm sorry?"

Everyone smiled and cheered as Dobby snapped his fingers. The hidden hats, wool, and knitting needles instantly vanished. "I would be delighted to pass on your message, Miss Hermione."

Neville smiled. Now that Hermione finally believed him, she could move on and make real change happen the right way. Armed with the facts, she had made the right choice and that was good enough for him.

All was finally well in Gryffindor Tower.


End file.
